_To John Paston, Esquyer, in haste._
[Sidenote: 1477 / MARCH 9]
I have received yowr letter, and yow[r] man, J. Bykerton, by whom I
knowe all the mater off Mestresse Brews, whyche iff it be as he seythe,
I praye Godde brynge it to a goode ende.
Item, as for thys mater of Mestresse Barly,[274-1] I holde it but a bare
thynge. I feele weell that itt passyth nott . . . marke. I syghe hyr for
yowr sake. She is a lytell onys; she maye be a woman heer aftre, iff she
be nott olde nowe; hir person semyth xiij. yere off age; hyr yerys, men
sey, ben full xviij. She kowyth nott of the mater, I suppose;
neverthelesse she desyryd to see me as gladde as I was to se hyr.
I praye yow sende me some wryghtyng to Caleys off yowr spede with
Mestresse Brewys. Bykerton tellyth me that she lovyth yow weell. Iff I
dyed, I hadde lever ye hadde hyr than the Lady Wargrave; neverthelesse
she syngeth weell with an harpe.
Clopton is aferde off Sir T. Greye, for he is a wydower now late, and
men sey that he is aqueyntyd with hyr of olde.
No more. Wretyn on Sondaye, the ix. daye off Marche, anno E. iiij^ti
xvij^o to Caleys warde.
* * *
Iff ye have Mestresse Brews, and E. Paston Mestresse Bylyngford, ye be
lyke to be bretheryn.